


Emotion Crunch

by freedomfrenzy



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: 1x10 Number Crunch, Episode Tag, Feelings Realization, just a bit of emotions for the final scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-25
Updated: 2019-03-25
Packaged: 2019-12-07 07:20:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18231698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/freedomfrenzy/pseuds/freedomfrenzy
Summary: Finch's thoughts during the final scenes of Number Crunch.





	Emotion Crunch

Relief floods him when John picks up and he blurts out what Carter has done. But it turns to ice in his veins at the laboured response, the confirmation that he’s too late. John thanks him, again, for the work, and Finch understands. He thinks he is going to die. Finch can feel the floor through the accelerator. Pain shoots up his back at the force he is attempting to apply, as unhappy with his actions as his rational mind. Logic knows that they’re bound to be hunting for John too. They’re closer, they have more resources, they have guns, and they’ll be just as happy to bag Finch in addition. But this is what the work is about, isn’t it, saving lives? 

John tells him, emphatically as only someone with everything to lose can, to stay away. Finch knows he’s trying to protect the work. Knows too, that John doesn’t think he’s worth saving. He believes the man would rather die than risk the good that they do. 

It’s not going to happen. 

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He had forty-four years of life before the injuries that hobbled him. But in the moment he feels he’s never moved so fast in his life, nor so slowly. His back screams in protest to taking John’s weight as they move to the car, and he has never cared less. His mind is throwing up horrible thoughts, memories, and he struggles with them as much as the too-warm dampness of John’s blood against his stomach.

Carter’s voice stops them in their tracks. Finch looks at her over John’s shoulder and sees her confusion. They all freeze, John collapsing against Finch’s chest, Finch with his chin nearly resting on the other man’s head to watch Carter, with her gun trained on them. Finch sees the second she places him, remembers his inane cover, and is suddenly, senselessly, aware of how the pair of them look now. The moment before Carter’s expression changes is entirely the wrong time for such realisations, but it comes anyway. His stomach drops as he realises what should have been clear, the things he’s missed until now falling into place. 

Then she’s holstering her gun and the two of them are bundling John into the car. The time for anything, everything, else is later.


End file.
